


Three For One

by angeltheatre, Skinna_the_Gecko



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, contains descriptions of violence but i dont think its graphic, i hope yall enjoy this!!, this was the product of 2 ppl with writers block cracking open a cold one of angst juice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:46:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24924862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angeltheatre/pseuds/angeltheatre, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skinna_the_Gecko/pseuds/Skinna_the_Gecko
Summary: What would happen if Paradox caught the metal virus?
Relationships: Miles "Tails" Prower & Paradox the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower & Sonic the Hedgehog
Comments: 8
Kudos: 25





	Three For One

**Author's Note:**

> fyi: (Text) is inside paradox's head!!
> 
> big BIG thank you to skinna!! without u this would have taken me a million years even tho its just 2k words JNAKNSBKDA

The Freedom Fighters have scrambled to maintain contact with their allies and former members and, considering the pressure suddenly flung onto them, they were doing a rather bang up job putting forth their best.

Unfortunately, one's best isn't always good enough.

Between the war that still rang loudly in the people's hearts and minds, scattered forces, a disbanded resistance, and Eggman's metal virus, Tails would even describe their circumstances as rather shitty. Of course, he'd never say that out loud. Not where Paradox could hear him, anyway. Sonic had always been a bit of a stickler about language, and it only got worse when he fused with Shadow, who grew up in the 50's, and Silver, who never swore at all.

Lately, Paradox has been all Tails could think about. Fusion fascinated him, and he kept researching into a way on how to separate the hedgehogs, only to come up empty handed. Now, however, Tails worries about keeping an eye on his absent minded brother at all times, and to try and keep him away from the metal virus. There was no telling how it could affect his body, not to mention the fact that Tails would catch the other stumbling and struggling to orient himself with three minds that moved in completely different ways.

If Paradox got sick, the hedgehog wouldn't be the only one in danger. A sobering thought, and one that haunts Tails's dreams more often than he'd like. A typical zombot is dangerous simply because it further spreads the infection. If Paradox became a zombot, the damage he could potentially cause is limitless, not to mention how much faster he is than your average mobian.

Behind him, swathed in blankets from both their cots, lies the hedgehog in question. At the moment he sleeps soundly, but Tails has caught Paradox wandering the halls and checking in with everyone almost frantically. A deep paranoia has dug its way under his skin, and anxiety rolls off him in waves in his every waking moment. In a few hours, Tails will have to wake him up to attend another council meeting on how to approach the virus. Paradox will likely be chosen as the first choice in the fighting forces against the doctor, and the constant debating and pondering over this fact makes the young inventor want to rip out his fur.

"Why you?" Tails asks, curling up beside the sleeping form of his brother. Paradox snoozes on, blissfully unaware. "Why is it always you?"

* * *

Exactly as Tails expected, he and Paradox are the first to be sent out to try and locate high risk areas and rescue survivors. Don't get him wrong, Tails loves saving people, but he'd really appreciate it if someone would listen to him and help him take care of Paradox. The hedgehog is unsteady on his feet-- dangerous when those feet move faster than the speed of sound-- and he is prone to wandering off and forgetting information. Needless to say, throwing Paradox into the middle of a pandemic with only one other person to help him stay on track is foolishly hopeful at best, and stupidly reckless at worst.

The looks on the council's faces when they delivered the news made Tails's fur stand on end. They know how much of an asset Paradox is, and they fully intend of making use of his abilities, but what no one else seems to understand is what would happen should he get infected. Tails doesn't want to hide his brother away, and he certainly doesn't want to stop him from helping find a cure for the virus, but he just can't think of it as a risk worth taking. Call it logic or familial bias, Tails just could not understand the value in putting the hedgehog back out on the front lines.

The risk of Paradox getting snatched up and swept into the zombot crowd is too high for Tails to ignore, and the worry makes his palms sweat. As if he can sense the fox's distress through some strange brotherly intuition, Paradox squeezes Tails's hand, interlocking their fingers with a grin.

"Don't worry," he says, wild eyes facing forward. "Focus on the here and now, ok, little buddy?"

"Ok," Tails agrees, offering a shaky smile of his own. His own doubts are easier to bear with Paradox by his side, and suddenly the world doesn't seem as hopeless. Who knows, maybe things will turn out alright in the end. They always have before.

Tails doesn't notice the frown that spreads across Paradox's muzzle, nor does he see the anxious bobbing of his head, steely eyes scanning all around for anything even remotely shiny.

* * *

Struggling to focus in streets full of metallic Mobians, Paradox tries to make himself present. With three different minds smashed together inside his head, each stressed beyond belief, it was no wonder his thoughts kept crashing into each other. Beside him is Tails, dragging him along by a firm grasp on his hand. Each time Paradox's grip slackens, Tails squeezes his hand and yanks his arm, snapping the hedgehog's attention back into place.

Tails has dirt smudged on his cheek (Where did it come from?) and scrapes on his elbows (When did that happen?).

"-dox? Paradox! I need you with me, buddy, please!"

Tails is looking at him with big, worried eyes. His breaths come short (He needs to rest!) and his hands are shaking terribly (Is he alright?).

"Paradox?" He asks again. He knows Paradox's mind is prone to wander and he was expecting it to get worse during the metal virus outbreak, but nothing could have prepared him for how lost the hedgehog seemed to have become. 

(Respond, idiot!)

"Tails, I," His eyes flash, green and guilty. "I'm so sorry, I just… I can hardly focus on anything, and-"

"Dox, I need you to listen to me, ok?" Tails makes sure he has full eye contact before moving on, guiding Paradox to stand with his back against a brick wall. "The city's been overrun with zombots, and it's absolutely imperative that you don't come into contact with them. You'll catch the metal virus, and I don't know what will happen to you if you get sick."

Paradox's eyes flicker and settle on a deep, dark red before becoming tricolor once more.

"I'll do my best," he promises. This isn't the first time Tails has reminded him, and this isn't the first time he's promised to follow the fox's advice. Tails's heart twists in anxiety as Paradox shows no sign of recognition, no reaction to indicate that he remembers being told the same information over again.

A zombot crashes through a window, instantly snatching away the hedgehog's attention. Tails frowns, and worries his lip.

He has a bad feeling about this.

* * *

They're surrounded on all sides, and the Freedom Fighters won't be able to leave the city without running over afflicted citizens- something they refuse to do. Paradox turns back to face the crowd, scanning the square for any stragglers or volunteers that were cut off from the group. There, weaving his way around zombots and over cars, Tails comes flying towards the truck. A glint of purple catches his eye and Paradox glances down, watching metallic claws reach for the two tailed fox.

In the blink of an eye, Paradox leaps up, grabs Tails, and throws him at the other volunteers. Caught off guard, Amy nearly falls over catching him, watching in concern as Paradox's balance is thrown off and he slips and falls on his back, hitting the pavement.

(Why are we on the ground?)

"Paradox!" Amy shouts, Tails beside her, climbing to his feet and rubbing his head. "You need to get up! Get back to the truck, now!"

(What's wrong? Why's she yelling?)

Amy screams at him to move. Tails's eyes widen in horror. Paradox blinks, and a freezing cold hand curls tightly around his wrist.

"Oh," Paradox breathes out. "Fuck."

A purple zombot growls at him, swiping their claws at his eyes and only barely missing. With a snarl of his own, Paradox pries the stranger's fingers off his arm and roughly shoves them away. Already, the fur on his arm has begun to take on a metallic sheen. His heart flutters nervously in his chest and he racks his brain for any idea of what to do.

"Paradox!" Tails screams out, reaching for the hedgehog. Amy quickly positions herself behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist to prevent him from running into the crowd. "Paradox, no!"

"You guys go!" Paradox calls, rising to his feet. Zombots have already begun pouring into the small area, attracted by the noise. Survival instincts kicking in, he charges up a chaos boost and lets the energy flow through him, then harshly forcing it outward. Before anymore zombots can get any closer, they are frozen in place as a multicoloured aura glows around them. Tails and Amy watch in awe as Paradox uses as much strength as he can muster to split the sea of infected citizens, forcing them to opposite sides of the street. The poor hedgehog looked exhausted by the act alone, but continued to keep the zombots in place as best as he could. Slowly, he painfully turned his head towards his friends and peers.

“You have to go now," he says to them, chest heaving. His foot slips and he hastily corrects his stance. "I can’t keep them in place for long.”

Tails stared at Paradox in disbelief, before quickly realising what he was about to do. He shook his head and whispered, “No.” The fox managed to get out of Amy’s grasp and ran next to him. “No! Not without you!”

“Tails,” Paradox scolds through clenched teeth, arms shaking under the strain. “I have to keep focus. I can’t go with you, I don’t have a choice to do so.” The metal liquid was spreading farther, his fur turning to steel and ruby. “Once they are free they’ll try to chase after you. I'll try to keep them away for as long as I can, but you guys need to leave now!”

“No, guys, please," Tails begs, tears falling down his face. "Think about this cle-”

“We are!" Paradox roars, cutting him off before he can finish. "For once, while having our minds trapped in this chaos forsaken body, we are all on the same page!”

Tails stands completely still, shocked, and his eyes wildly flick about as he scrambles to think of a solution. He refuses to believe what he's seeing, refuses to believe that he has to leave his brother to the bloodthirsty, mindless masses. Amy yells at Tails once more to get back to the truck, pulling on his arm, although it's clear to see that she is battling with herself over the decision to abandon Paradox as well.

"Please, Tails," Paradox tells him, teary eyes glimmering a bright and loving green. They switch to gold, then red, then back to their original multicolored state, wide and watery. "Leave before you get infected, too!"

Finally losing the strength to argue with his brother, Tails is pulled inside the truck and Amy seals the door shut behind them. The engine revs and Paradox grunts as the zombots struggle even harder against their restraints, fighting to reach the hedgehog's friends. Paradox doesn't dare let go of his telekinesis until the Freedom Fighters's truck has long since disappeared over the horizon. Once he can no longer hear or see the emergency vehicle, he releases his control with a sigh, falling to his knees, and the zombots surge upon him.

Too numb to resist, Paradox can do nothing as icy claws dig into his limbs, pushing him to the ground. The pavement scrapes his cheek and his muscles protest under the weight of so many heavy bodies. His arms and legs buzz, pins and needles, and an unwelcome fog encroaches on his mind.

(Thank goodness they got away.)

Without his permission, Paradox's eyes slip shut, and he knows no more.

**Author's Note:**

> :3c


End file.
